


Unexpected Journeys And Unforeseen Destinations

by iamthefacebehindthemask



Series: TsukkiKage College/University AU [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-12 08:29:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10486557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamthefacebehindthemask/pseuds/iamthefacebehindthemask
Summary: Kei returns to find that while some things have remained unchanged, others have not.Alternatively, as life after college draws near, Kei and Tobio struggle with life-changing decisions and priorities for their futures.Set three years after the events of"Unlikely Outcomes Of Unlikely Circumstances".(Note: This is a sequel to my work "Unlikely Outcomes Of Unlikely Circumstances", and if you have not read that, I would recommend reading it first before reading this one!)





	1. Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back, everyone! I've decided to continue this series, and we are currently in Kei and Tobio's fourth year of university. I hope you give as much support and love to this one as you did to ["Unlikely Outcomes Of Unlikely Circumstances"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8856907/chapters/20309818)!
> 
> Once again, this will be updated on a daily-ish basis ^_^
> 
> Enjoy!

“He’s asleep?”

“He is! I didn’t realize he went to bed so early even though I’ve been staying in the same house as him for so long now.”

“Great. Then, let’s go over the plan for tomorrow once more before I have to turn my phone off.”

“Alright, Kei!”

* * *

 

Tobio woke up with one arm outstretched towards the other half of the bed. At first, a natural scowl formed on his face at the coldness of the sheets beneath his palm, but then realization set in and he sighed, retracting his hand and pushing himself up into a sitting position. It was still dark outside, but he always woke up before dawn to go for a jog around the campus perimeter.

Sparing one last glance at the unused half of his room, he resisted the urge to step into it and find something of nostalgic value, and set out on his run.

As he jogged around campus, with a playlist customized to contain only workout songs playing on his phone, Tobio passed several memorable locations: the college sports center, the dormitories he used to live in, and the restaurants he had to go to every day in order to have something to eat when dining halls were closed. A rare, gentle smile graced his features as the memories he had made over the past three-and-a-half years crossed his mind.

_So much has changed._

Now the captain, he had become the starting setter on the college volleyball team during his third year, and they had gone to the nationals too. He hoped to be able to take his team to the nationals once more before his college volleyball career came to an end.

And speaking of nationals, his team had finally played against Shouyou’s team the previous year, and they had won. Unfortunately, they had gotten eliminated at the next level. But Shouyou had told him, with renewed vigor, that he would definitely be at nationals again, and that Tobio would have to be there too. And this had fired up the setter once more (much to the confusion of his teammates, who were still upset about the recent loss).

Other things had changed too. He had become better friends with Tadashi, and come to consider him as someone he could trust with pretty much anything. It was surprising, how close they had gotten during their time at university.

And it was the same person who brought him out of his reverie.

“Tobio? I asked you if you wanted toast with your eggs.”

“Ah, sorry, Tadashi. Thanks. And thanks for making breakfast, by the way.”

Tadashi laughed. “Don’t start being all formal again, Tobio! We’ve been living together for more than a year now, and I’ve finally gotten you to address me by my first name as well. We can’t undo all that progress now, can we?”

A blush bloomed on Tobio’s cheeks as he sat down at the dining table. The presence of three chairs when it was just the two of them brought back the slight melancholy from when he had woken up earlier.

“Is there something wrong with that chair?”

Tobio startled for a moment.

“Huh?”

“Ah, no, I just…,” Tadashi broke off, abruptly. “You were looking at it with a strange expression, so I was wondering if it was broken or something. You’re more observant than I am, anyway.”

Tobio shook his head quickly. “There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just…”

“Spaces make his absence more obvious, huh?”

Tobio nodded, surprised at the fact that Tadashi could tell, and that he could articulate so perfectly the jumble of feelings Tobio was experiencing. Then he noted mentally, _Tadashi is more observant than he thinks himself to be_.

* * *

 

In the evening, when Tobio returned after volleyball practice, the house was empty, as he had expected; Tadashi had informed him in the morning that the supervisor at the lab he was conducting research at had asked for everyone to stay a little longer. Since he knew his roommate would be hungry and exhausted upon his return, he decided to cook.

That was something else that had changed over the years. His disastrous attempts at cooking during high school and the first year of university had eventually led him to learn how to cook, and by the end of his third year, he had even been able to surprise his mother by replicating one of her best dishes perfectly.

And it had come in handy. Since he and Tadashi were living by themselves, it helped that they both could cook. They cooked for the two of them on alternate days, and the only exceptions were days when one party was exceptionally tired or ill. Which was the situation Tobio was anticipating at present.

While another well-crafted playlist was playing some of his acoustic favorites in the background as he cooked stir-fry, he heard the familiar jingling of keys and expected a fatigued “I’m home!” from the direction of the door.

But the door opened and shut without any such greeting.

Suddenly on his guard, Tobio turned the stove and the music off, and stepped out of the kitchen, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

The sight in front of him was beyond anything he could have imagined.

A tall man with blonde hair and spectacles perched on his nose dropped the duffel bag he was holding and reached Tobio in two large strides, swiftly pulling him into his chest and burying his nose in the setter’s hair.

Tobio was almost too stunned to speak. “Kei? What- when did you land- “

“Did I manage to surprise you?”

“You- wanted to surprise me?”

“Of course. My king only deserves the best, after all.”

Tobio leaned back for a moment and stared at the golden-brown eyes he had only been able to see on a screen for six months, and he drank in the view as much as he could, as if it would disappear right away. The vice-like grip on his waist told him otherwise.

Our of the periphery of his eye, he could see Tadashi grinning at the view.

Kei, whose eyes were nothing but fond at the sight of his boyfriend, said, “It’s so good to be home, Tobio.”

Tobio’s throat went dry. “It’s… good to have you back, Kei. But… “

Kei tilted his head in confusion. “But?”

Tobio mumbled softly, “…I only made enough dinner for two…”

Kei laughed out loud, and the rare sound was music to Tobio’s ears.

_Finally, he felt at home too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Kei is back, but where had he gone? This question and many other questions I'm sure you have will be answered in the next chapter! Stay tuned!


	2. Something Old And Something New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kei and Tobio fall back into routine and Kei learns things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter two! I hope you enjoy it ^_^

Kei stood in front of his desk and took a deep breath. With one finger, he touched all the books on the shelf behind it, and then flipped open a notebook lying on the table. It contained notes from one of his favorite classes. Then he spun around to look at Tobio’s half of the room. He grinned. 

In their third year, he had finally plucked up the courage to ask the setter to move in with him, and when Tobio had accepted, Tadashi had quietly started looking for other places to live. But when Kei and Tobio had found him sitting at the dining table and looking for vacancies, they had told him to stay with them. Apparently, Tadashi had thought Kei would not want to share his room, and Tobio would be living in Tadashi’s room, and was beyond surprised to hear that his best friend would be sharing his room with his boyfriend (“Why? Isn’t that what couples do?” “Well, yes, but I know how much you like your space”). The blonde had never seen his best friend look happier and more relieved.

And so it had been the three of them until Kei had gotten accepted into a study abroad program at a prestigious university at the beginning of their fourth year.

But, now that he was back, Kei admitted,  _nothing compared to the comforting warmth of home_. 

Two arms snaked around his waist from behind and a body leaned into him, nose nudging the back of his neck and inhaling sharply. Kei leaned back into Tobio, and they stood like that for some time. As they rocked forward and back gently, Kei noticed just how toned his boyfriend’s muscles were; it wasn’t as though they weren’t toned before, but as it turns out, video chats often hid these aspects of Tobio that Kei could now see in person.

He amended his thought from earlier: _nothing compared to the comforting warmth of being home and surrounded by loved ones_.

Not wanting to disturb the quietude of the moment, he whispered, “What are you doing?”

Tobio responded, keeping his tone as nonchalant as possible while moving even closer, “What, am I not allowed to hold my boyfriend when he comes back after six months?”

Kei chuckled under his breath in response and didn’t say any more.

* * *

 

The same evening, after ensuring they had all the books and stationery they needed for the start of their last semester, Kei and Tadashi were sitting at the dining table and reading from their respective laptops when Tobio emerged from the bedroom, looking ready to head out. Tadashi looked up from his screen and smiled in understanding.

“Ah, you’re going out, then? Have fun!”

Kei raised his eyebrows. Going out?

“Where are you off to?”

His boyfriend smiled and said, “The guys want to go for karaoke again.”

Tadashi laughed, and the sound further added to Kei’s surprise. “Didn’t you all just do that last week, though?”

“I wonder whose idea it was, honestly. It’s not like anyone on the team can sing. Anyway, I’m going to leave now; it’s getting late.”

Tobio leaned in to kiss his boyfriend goodbye, who was a little too stunned to respond, waved to Tadashi, and with that, he was gone.

Immediately, Kei turned to his best friend. “This is a weekly thing?”

“Ah, yeah. The regulars on the volleyball team go out every weekend. What, are you jealous?”

Kei didn’t have to think about that one.

“No, just surprised. Tobio isn’t really one to socialize, or so I thought…”

“Actually, his teammates are really nice people. When you left, Tobio didn’t really know what to do with his free time; he seemed lost, in a way. So they started this. Even though most of them have significant others, they ditch them for one night per week and go out together. It made me feel less guilty about not being able to spend much time at the apartment because of my research.”

Kei nodded.

Later, when Hitoka joined them via video chat, and Tadashi brought up Kei’s surprise, she added, “Sometimes, I really miss Tadashi, but I don’t say it as much because I know that he already knows that, and that he feels the same way. I think Tobio was also trying to be considerate; you were already so far away from everything you had ever known, so he didn’t want you to feel even more lonely than he was sure you already were. And it’s nice that his teammates filled the void that he undoubtedly felt.”

It was nice, he agreed, and it was also wonderful that Tobio had more people to hang out with, but this was the first Kei had heard of it. The setter hadn’t mentioned hanging out with the team like this during their calls. _In fact_ , the blonde realized, _Tobio hardly talked about anything but volleyball practice whenever I asked him about his day_. It didn’t leave him uneasy in the way these things did for most people, i.e., it didn’t give rise to any insecurity or suspicion. Rather, Kei felt strangely excluded. It wasn’t as though he wanted to join Tobio and his friends, but it was as if six months had resulted in their lives being somewhat untangled from each other.

Like he had returned but was still in a different place. Like there were miles between him and Tobio, even though they shared the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is Kei going to do? I wonder.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Stay tuned for what happens next ^_^


	3. Approaching Realities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fact that their time at university was quickly coming to a close and bringing life-changing consequences with it hits them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the third chapter! ^_^

On a warm evening a few days later, Tobio was going through the notes compiled by the team managers on the first opponents the volleyball team would face at the upcoming qualifying matches. He smiled to himself when he noticed that one of the blockers on a different team was strikingly similar to Kei. The thought of his boyfriend caused him to stop reading for a moment as he recalled a conversation from earlier.

_“Tobio, you know, it came as a surprise to Kei that you were going out with friends every weekend.”_

_“Oh, really?”_

_“I was surprised to know you hadn’t mentioned it as well, actually…”_

_“Ah, I didn’t think it was important or worth mentioning. Did he say something?”_

_“Not really, but you know how Kei keeps quiet even if something is on his mind. He kind of… shuts down, so there’s no way to be sure.”_

_“Right. I’ll talk to him about it.”_

_“Thanks, Tobio. I would appreciate that.”_

_“No, thank you, Tadashi, for letting me know.”_

Thinking back, Tobio wondered if it had been worth mentioning back when Kei was away. At that time, he had figured that it wasn’t because he was more interested in knowing every experience Kei was having at his host university. Moreover, they didn’t talk about everything when they were living together or even close to one another, and Tobio hadn’t considered changing that practice.

But, the more he thought about it, the more he realized how strange it must have been for his boyfriend, especially when he saw people like Tadashi and Hitoka talk about their day in excruciating detail. And perhaps, Kei had expected the same _because_ it had been long-distance for those months.

_Oh._

He resolved to speak to his boyfriend about it as soon as he could.

However, Kei didn’t return from the library until nearly midnight, with tired eyes and a growling stomach. The setter, who had gone to sleep but woke up to give his boyfriend dinner, knew why: the blonde was preparing for the approaching bar examination, which he would have to pass in order to get a license to practice law. So he decided to bring up the topic he had wanted to discuss later and fell asleep with Kei, their limbs entangled as they held each other close.

By the time the right moment to bring up the subject had come around, Tobio had already forgotten about it.

* * *

 

A few weeks after that, Kei had some big news.

“My professor apparently recommended me to a well-known law firm in Osaka, for an opening they will have by the time I graduate.”

The egg-laden fork that was halfway up towards Tadashi’s mouth fell from his hand with a clatter, and Tobio choked on the milk he had just taken a gulp of.

“What?” 

Kei continued in a monotonous fashion. “Yeah, apparently some of his students get hired by that firm based on his recommendations, and they will have a job opening soon. They like to hire young lawyers fresh out of college, and then train them on a long-term basis, in order to have several contenders for the partnership when the time comes.” 

Tadashi, who was thumping Tobio’s back to help him recover from his coughing fit, exclaimed, “That’s excellent, Kei! To score an opportunity like that, you must be one of your professor’s best students!”

Kei’s cheeks were tinged red as he replied modestly, “No, not really. And I haven’t actually been offered anything yet-”

His best friend was having none of it, though. “You’ve got a potential job offer and I’m still freaking out over whether I’ll become a resident or not, so you better be happy, you idiot.”

“Right, sorry. And have as much faith in yourself as you have in me; I know you’re going to become a resident, and a good one at that, too.”

Tobio grinned. His boyfriend’s friendship with Tadashi was truly one of a kind.

“But”, Tadashi went on, “It’s so funny to think that you both will be graduating at the end of this semester. It feels like it was only yesterday when we got started here.”

All three of them had thoughtful expressions on their faces. Things were really going to change a lot in a few months.

Tadashi continued, his face glowing, “I, for one, can’t wait. Since Hitoka is graduating at the same time as you two, she’ll be in Tokyo to handle one of the branches of her mother’s design firm. Which means, she’ll be so much closer!”

With this, the same realization hit Kei and Tobio at the same time.

_Now that the real world was in the proximal future, looming over them, where was their relationship headed?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Questions are becoming more complex, and the options don't seem too optimistic. What's gong to happen?
> 
> Stay tuned to know more!


	4. Developments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kei tries to make peace with himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had an exam today and so I couldn't update yesterday, but here you go!

_“Tadashi had a spare pen, so I borrowed it from him.”_

_“Why didn’t you ask me?”_

_“I… don’t know. I’ve gotten used to asking him these few months. Plus, I like the brand he uses.”_

* * *

 

_“This song? Kei, you hate electronic dance music.”_

_“It’s EDM, by the way. And some of my friends abroad got me into artists that actually make this stuff sound good.”_

* * *

 

_“Since when do you read books on political history?”_

_“You own so many of those, and I missed you, okay?”_

* * *

* * *

 

“Some scouts came to the finals today”, Tobio mentioned matter-of-factly as he, Kei, and Tadashi ate dinner one night. His boyfriend’s eyes sparkled.

“And since your team won, and was hence the better team, they noticed you all.”

Tobio grinned, almost in a scheming manner. Tadashi chuckled at his expression.

“They requested the coach to pull me aside and asked me a few questions.”

An open smile made its way onto Kei’s face, full of pride.

“Did they make any offers?”

“Not yet. They’re going to be at the nationals to watch, though.”

The conversation ended there as they dug into their meals once more. Tadashi, who had cleaned his plate, stood up and asked, “Dessert or drinks, anyone?”

Two voices chimed in at the same time.

“Beer, please.”

Surprised, Kei looked at the setter.

“Beer? For you? Since when do you drink that? More importantly, since when do you drink?”

Tobio, straight-faced as ever, looked at him and nonchalantly responded, “I don’t drink on a daily or even weekly basis. But, after you left, I developed a habit to have a beer, occasionally.”

 _Really, a lot has changed_ , Kei thought to himself, as he remembered Tobio from their first meal together back during that fateful winter break when they got together. That version of his boyfriend seemed more familiar to him, somehow than the one sitting next to him at present.

* * *

 

When the two of them were relaxing on the couch later, and Tadashi had left them alone to call Hitoka, Tobio inquired about Kei’s studies for the bar exam.

“It’s going well. The trick seems to be to pace oneself so that one doesn’t burn out before the exam. The group understands this quite well, so we check in on each other to make sure no one overdoes anything.”

Tobio looked puzzled for a moment. “Group?”

 _Oh_ , Kei thought. “Did I forget to mention that? My bad. Yeah, I met a few students who were also studying for the exam in one of my classes, and they asked me to join their study group, so we study at the library together.”

Tobio’s expression reflected realization, and he seemed unfazed to his boyfriend as he replied, “Ah, I didn’t know that. I see. That’s good that you have people doing that. You have a habit of working yourself too hard.”

Incredulous, Kei retorted, “Oi, I could say the same for you.”

They laughed.

Looking into the setter’s neutral countenance, Kei realized why he felt uneasy about things that didn’t make Tobio similarly uneasy. _I don’t like change_ , he recognized, as he thought back to all the changes about Tobio that had unsettled him, _and we are changing because time is compelling us to do so_. He envied at how easily his boyfriend could just take everything in stride, simply go with the flow.

Suddenly, Tobio was pulling Kei forward and gently placing Kei’s head on his lap, carding his fingers through his boyfriend’s hair slowly. The blonde’s eyes shut automatically, as tender hands kept the troubling insights at bay. Soft lips pressed a dry kiss against his forehead, and his shoulders sagged as the tension sapped out of them. He wondered how the setter knew just what he needed at that moment.

_Ah, it’s because some things don’t change even when others do. Some truths are universal._

“But that’s one of the things I love about you.”

_Like that one._

* * *

* * *

 

The thing about thoughts, though, is that they don’t go away forever until the cause is resolved properly, as Kei would find out quite soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short but a part of the building up to the moment we're all waiting for. Stay tuned for more! ^_^


	5. Cutting Some Ties And Reviving Others

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kei tests their collective strength and his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter!
> 
> A song I listened to as I wrote this: [Goodbye](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfUpihwnH6w) by Lewis Fieldhouse. 
> 
> Enjoy!

_“Toiletries?”_

_“Got them.”_

_“Knee pads?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“Away jersey?”_

_“Oh, I forgot. We hardly ever use those so it’s difficult to remember them.”_

_“Alright. Got everything now, Tobio?”_

_“No.”_

_“What else do you need to take with you?”_

_“You.”_

_“Sh-shut up, dumbass.”_

_“That’s supposed to be my line, Kei.”_

* * *

 

“Feels kind of empty without him, doesn’t it?” Tadashi asked Kei as the latter made Tobio’s favorite curry (he vehemently denied this to be a sign of longing).

He nodded.

“Well, at least Tobio’s gone just for two weeks.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Being the best friend that he was, Tadashi knew something was on Kei’s mind. So he decided to prod gently and observe the results.

“Kei, did something happen recently? I mean, besides Tobio leaving for the tournament.”

Predictably, the blonde stiffened, his hand stilling over the pot. Then he resumed stirring the contents.

“Remember I had that telephone interview with that firm in Osaka last week?”

Tadashi hummed in response.

“They called me today to tell me that I got the job. They want me to start working as soon as I get my license, so about one or two months after graduation.”

Tadashi’s jaw dropped open.

“WHOA! Holy crap, Kei! That is fantastic news. Congratulations! Wait, why aren’t you happy?”

His best friend stiffened once more. Kei knew he was being subjected to a scrutinizing stare. _Damn Tadashi and his ability to read my micro-expressions_ , he thought.

Tadashi was able to pick up more than mood, however.

“You haven’t told your boyfriend yet, have you?”

Kei swallowed and turned the stove off before looking his best friend squarely in the eyes.

“You and I both know Tobio is going to get scouted, right?” he asked Tadashi, who nodded in response. There was absolutely no doubt there; anyone who had seen Tobio play was aware that he was a high-caliber setter who was destined to play volleyball professionally. Kei continued with his line of reasoning. 

“And that means he’s going to stay here to train with the National team.”

“So? I don’t follow.”

“I’m not going to get a better offer than this, so I’m probably going to say yes to the firm. Which means I’m going to move to Osaka in the near future.”

Tadashi frowned. “And?”

“Our futures are taking us in different directions. Our career paths are more certain than our commitment to each other.”

“Kei, don’t tell me you- “

“Yes.”

* * *

 

Kei called Tobio up after dinner as they had planned.

“Don’t ask me how everything is here because I’m still in the same city as you.”

The blonde laughed, but it sounded off, even to him. “I wasn’t going to say that, love. I was going to ask you who your next match was against.”

“How do you know I have a match?”

“You wouldn’t have sounded so chipper if there wasn’t.”

Tobio chuckled. In the background, Kei could hear shocked gasps of ‘Oh, Kageyama-senpai just laughed! Oi, everyone!’ and he snorted into the receiver when he heard Tobio’s loud denial of the fact.

“Anyway, how was your day? Did you hear back from Osaka?”

Kei squeezed his eyes shut. _Of course, Tobio would remember._

Now he had no choice.

“Actually, about that…”

* * *

 

“Kageyama-senpai, please don’t overwork yourself.”

“Don’t worry about that. I won’t.”

“Can I stay here, just to be sure?”

“… Okay. But you have to throw balls for me when I practice my tosses."

His teammate punched the air with his fist.

“Alright!”

He tossed the volleyball into the air, just a little forward, ran up to build momentum, and jumped. The resounding _thud_ of the ball on the other side of the court did little to comfort him. So he served one more.

 _Smack_.

_“I was thinking that maybe we should break up before graduation.”_

_Smack_.

_“I was thinking that maybe we should break up before graduation.”_

_Smack._

_“I was thinking that maybe we should break up before graduation.”_

Countless serves later, he had still not been able to clear his head. Feeling defeated, Tobio snatched up his towel and started stretching to cool down.

His serves were perfect. But they were a reminder of everything else that wasn’t.

* * *

 

Tadashi frantically entered the number Sugawara had sent him into his phone and pressed ‘Call’. Listening to the phone ring, he prayed it wasn’t too late at night to call. Answering his prayers, the receiver picked up.

“Hi, may I know who’s calling?”

“Good evening, Kuroo-san. It’s Yamaguchi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I read the latest manga chapter and OMG THOSE AWAY JERSEYS AMIRITE. I just had to include away jerseys here when I saw them.
> 
> Anyway, that... was the chapter. It broke my heart to write, but this was kind of the point of everything that happened earlier. If some things didn't make sense, fear not. They will make a lot of sense soon.
> 
> And what's up with Tadashi calling Kuroo at the end? 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this installment! Please stay tuned for the next chapter (which should be out tomorrow)!


	6. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kei finds that some things can't be undone as easily as others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter! ^_^

A few mornings later, when he awoke long before anyone else did (as was his custom), Tobio was filled with steely determination. He pulled out his phone and sent a text quickly before his resolve left him, and left for his daily jog.

 **Kageyama Tobio:** Hey. I’ve been thinking about what you suggested that night as you told me to, and I agree. Let’s not hold each other back. I have a counter-proposal: we should break up as soon as possible. If you agree, give me a fortnight and I’ll find another place to live.

* * *

The iced coffee was not helping Kei that morning.

He stared at the tall glass of his favorite morning fix and wondered why it didn’t taste right. In his mind, he went over how he had prepared it and found that there had been no mistake at that point of the process. What was it then? Had the milk gone bad? Was the water contaminated?

The sight of his phone resulted in a resurgence of the sick feeling. The culprit had been discovered.

When he had woken up with his hand searching for warmth on the other side of the bed, Kei had encountered something even more chilling: the message from Tobio. He tried to look for something, anything, that would betray his boyfriend’s true feelings about a separation, and found absolutely nothing in the body of the text. It was the first thing in their communication log since Kei had suggested breaking up.

He hadn't replied yet because for the first time, Kei, always the master of articulation, was at a complete loss for words.

Kei reread the text before dumping his coffee in the sink and going back to bed. He was certain that there was no way he was going to make it through class in this condition.

* * *

Tadashi hummed a tune as he prepared dinner that evening. The door to Kei and Tobio’s bedroom was shut and he hadn’t heard a sound from it so he simply assumed his best friend was still out and would return soon. _He has to return soon_ , Tadashi thought, _because there are some things he needs to be here for_.

So when the bedroom door opened and Kei stepped out looking like he had just woken up, Tadashi was completely taken aback. _This situation might be worse than I thought_ , he realized with a shock. He sat the blonde down at the table and asked, “Do you want coffee?”

Kei shook his head wearily.

“No. Would you get me a beer?”

Tadashi hesitated, then complied, and soon enough, there was a chilled can in Kei’s hand.

Although he had been expecting it, the doorbell managed to startle Tadashi as well.

“Kei, would you open the door? My hands are dirty.”

“Sure.”

When Kei did so, his eyes looked like they were about to fall out of their sockets.

“Kuroo-san? Bokuto-san? Akaashi-san too?”

“Yo, Tsukki!”

“Hey, hey, hey! Tsukki, you look like you aged a lot more than you should’ve.”

“Koutarou, that’s rude. Tsukishima, my apologies. May we come in?”

Kei couldn’t find the words to speak. Suddenly, his best friend appeared behind him.

“Ah, thank you all so much for coming over!”

Kuroo responded with, “Well, you did say we would get free food if we helped. I’m just kidding; of course, we would come over for this.”

“For this? What are you three here for?” Kei inquired, baffled.

“Kei”, Tadashi began seriously. “This is an intervention.”

“What?”

Akaashi continued, “Yamaguchi called us to talk to you about this decision you’re going to make about breaking up with Kageyama.”

Kei responded, indignantly, “That is no one’s business but Tobio’s and mine.”

Kuroo had a counterargument to that, however. “Tsukki, when a person tries to take a step that is harmful to him, it is up to his friends, who are always kind, by the way, to remind him of what the consequences of the action are and to suggest viable alternatives.”

The blonde sighed. “You guys don’t get it, but if you’ve come all this way you might as well come in and hear me out.”

* * *

Two hours later, when they had cleared the plates away and Kei was done explaining everything, the first reaction he received was Bokuto’s laughter. Kei scowled, but Bokuto was still his senior, so he didn’t say anything. Akaashi reacted on his behalf by elbowing the laughing male. Tadashi and Kuroo were silent, their eyes narrowed.

“So, let me get this straight”, Kuroo started. “You want to break up with him because you can’t do long distance again. Because the last time you did long distance, Kageyama changed a lot and it made you uncomfortable.”

Kei nodded.

“If you expect people to remain the same, or you expect them to include you every time they transform, then you need to change your expectations.”

“Why, Kuroo-san?”

“Ah, kids never understand”, Kuroo exclaimed in an overly dramatic fashion. “Listen, Tsukki, the human experience, that is, being alive is all about changing. Our bodies are always changing, which means that our minds are as well. Even our surroundings change. But we have the strength to adapt to this kind of thing. In fact, our entire existence relies on this continuous process. You're going to be a lawyer, so this line of reasoning should be easy enough for you to understand. Although to be honest, I'm disappointed that you didn't figure this out yourself when you were getting angsty.”

“Well, alright, I get that. But don’t you think long-distance is difficult?" 

This time Akaashi spoke.

“Tsukishima, you know that Koutarou, Tetsurou, and I are dating, right?”

“Yes.”

“I live in Kyoto, while they live here in Tokyo, and money is tight for all of us, so visiting one another is a luxury we can only rarely afford.”

“But you three have been dating for much longer, so- “

Tadashi chimed in. “Kei, do you love Tobio?”

Kei bowed his head, ears flushing. “Yes.”

Bokuto’s eyes gleamed. “Tsukki, if you love him, then time is immaterial. Whether you’ve been with him for two years, three years, or ten years, none of that matters. If you believe in the strength of your feelings, that’s all you need!”

“Exactly”, Kuroo continued. “Don’t give up on something precious if the only factors persuading you are things like time and distance. You’re not speed or velocity, you’re a person worthy of love regardless of things that might try to break you two apart. Don’t give in. Don’t break up with him.”

Kei had one more response on the tip of his tongue, though. It made his throat close up.

“See, that’s the thing. I think we already broke up.”

His voice cracked at the end of that sentence.

The room exploded.

_“What?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that Kei understands, what is he going to do?
> 
> And did you expect that BoKuroAka there? Hahaha.
> 
> Also, did that joke about speed and velocity crack anyone up? Kuroo is always such a nerd, so I decided to give him a nerdy joke to keep him true to his canon self (I mean, did you see that chemistry joke in the manga? LOL)
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter! Stay tuned for more ^_^


	7. The Last Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A history of rivalry finally reaches its climax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is a little late, but I wanted to make it count for the sake of my favorite friendly rivalry in the whole world.

“Kei”, Tadashi called, knocking lightly on the door to the room his best friend was in. “Tobio’s team made it to the final.”

The blonde made a sound to acknowledge the news his best friend had just delivered, but showed no indication of interest. Tadashi frowned, but he knew the next piece of information would certainly catch Kei’s attention.

“He’s playing against Shouyou’s team.”

No response. Kei continued to stare at the screen of his laptop but his fingers had stopped typing, and his best friend took that to mean that the message had gone across.

“I’m going to go see the match, and you’re coming along with me.”

“He probably doesn’t want me there on his big day, Tadashi.”

There was a beat of silence, and then:

“Are you _kidding_ me?”

Kei looked up.

“He’s wanted to play in the finals at the national level for the past four years, which is also how long he’s wanted to play against Shouyou. And now he’s going to do both, simultaneously, and you’re not going to be there for the big moment?”

“I told you, there is never any hidden message in his texts. He says exactly what he- “

“And you don’t think this is just his way of trying to protect those feelings by ending this quickly instead of drawing out this break up that _you_ instigated?”

“Then it makes even less sense for me to go because it’s just going to upset him that I can’t make up my mind about our relationship.”

"But Kei, you did change your mind about your relationship. You want to be with him; you want to not break up with him, and he doesn't know that. He's playing the most important game of his life thinking that one of the few relationships he has been able to cultivate is over."

"You know how he is during a game; it won't affect him. In fact, if i do show up, that might make it worse."

Tadashi looked ready to walk away, but he said one more thing before he left.

“If he comes back here without anything being resolved first, you know that it will be over. Tobio might not even come back home; he might just stay at a friend’s place while someone comes over to pick up his things. You’re the one who initiated this, Kei. If you don’t want to face the consequences, this time you’re going to have to go after him because he’s going to try doubly hard this time around to avoid you.”

As this truth sank in, Kei turned in his seat slowly to look at Tadashi, who went on, relentless.

“It seems like the one you’re being considerate for is yourself. You know that if you see him your heart will break. Aren’t you being selfish, going to such great lengths to protect your own heart by not going after you already broke his?”

Kei was shocked into silence, unable to retort. He just stared at his best friend as the latter stomped out and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

Tobio inhaled sharply and then announced:

“Alright, it’s time to warm up.”

There was a collective shout of “Let’s go!” 

But before Tobio could take one more step, a voice from behind him called out, “Tobio!” 

The setter spun around and regarded Shouyou. As they stood there, their teams side-stepped them and walked onto the court; everyone was aware of their years of history and decided to give them a moment alone.

“Shouyou. Back to lose against us?”

The orange-haired man was clearly pleased with the use of “us” instead of “me” because it was a symbolic reminder of just how much things had changed since that match in their junior high years, and how Shouyou had been a part of that change.

“We’re going to defeat you fair and square this time!”

Tobio grinned. “As if we’d let you, dumbass.”

His friend laughed, and then his expression was serious once more. “This is going to be the absolute last time we play as rivals, Kageyama-kun, so you better make it count."

"Obviously,"

"Because the next time you stand on the court, we’ll either be in the National team together, or I’ll be in the stands with Kenma and Kei, cheering for you.”

“It’s not decided that I’m going either, stupid.”

“Tobio, you’re the stupid one if you think your spot on the team isn’t already engraved with your initials or something.”

Then Tobio realized there was something else that was wrong with his friend’s earlier sentence. He rushed to correct it.

“And, Kei and I are no longer- we’re not- “

But Shouyou was already done with the conversation and hardly paying attention to the setter.

“What are you not? I don’t get it. Anyway, it’s time. I’ll see you out there!”

And he was gone, a spring in his step.

Tobio trudged out onto the brightly lit court alone. Looking up into the stands, he saw Tadashi and Kenma sitting together, both waving at him when they spotted him (with different levels of intensity: Tadashi was waving so enthusiastically that Tobio thought his arm was going to fall off). His eyes searched for Kei, even though it was probably futile to expect him to show up, but one glance at his boyfriend’s best friend gave him his answer.

_Kei had decided not to come._

Tobio steeled himself. There was no time to think about _any_ of that; all of that could be dealt with afterward. He had to focus only on the court, on the match he was playing in, on the opponents, on the condition of the spikers on his team. He had seen the scouts who had come to see the match from the corner of his eye earlier. So he was aware that his future (and the future of some of his teammates) rode on the success of this match. For the next few hours, anything that wasn’t on the court didn’t matter. The rest of his team shot knowing glances at their silent captain when they saw that his face wore an expression of unwavering focus and fortitude.

And this zoning out on Tobio’s part was probably why he didn’t catch the sight of a familiar mop of blonde hair moving through the row of seats to sit next to his best friend, muttering ‘Excuse me’ under his breath the whole time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's going to win the match? And will Tobio get selected for the National team? What about Shouyou? And who was that at the end?!
> 
> Stay tuned for the next chapter! ^_^


	8. A Win-Win Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All kinds of showdowns happen at the venue of the finals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the tardiness! Here you go ^_^

A warm feeling spread in Kei’s chest as he watched Tobio play.

He was filled with a combination of many emotions: pride, joy, fondness, guilt, melancholy. And this mixture was making it difficult for him to figure out what the right step forward was, but he was glad nevertheless that he had decided to attend the match. In fact, he had been persuaded to come by something Hitoka had said to him when things had just begun for him and Tobio.

_“Kei, please don’t hurt him.”_

He was aware that the damage caused by his actions that could probably never be undone, but it wasn’t necessarily the end, as long as he took action to change the consequence. And so Kei had grabbed his keys, phone, and jacket, and rushed out to get to the stadium in time.

Now the metaphorical ball was once more in his court. Just as the actual ball was on Tobio’s side of the court, in his hands. It was their match point.

Kei he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, which was tense. Tadashi whispered, “He’s going to make it perfect.”

 _Of course, he was_ , Kei thought, letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. _After all, Kageyama Tobio, captain of the volleyball team, was truly a force to reckon with when it came to exactitude._

Tobio jumped, and his boyfriend’s eyes glazed over at the sight of the setter’s impeccable form. Then, with what was arguably the best swing he had ever taken, he served, and the libero on the other side attempted to receive it but was unsuccessful in doing so, causing the ball to ricochet off his arms and into the air, too far from any of the players on Shouyou’s team. It then dropped onto the court with a light _thud_.

A service ace.

Before Kei could process what had happened, the referee blew the whistle, signaling that the match had concluded. Tobio’s team had won.

The brief silence was deafening, as was the impossibly loud cheering in the next moment. But Kei couldn’t hear any of it, because Tobio had looked over at the stands and seen him, and in that moment, the rest of the world faded away, no matter how cheesy that sounded in Kei’s mind.

The world came right back in with full force as Tadashi and Kenma pushed Kei forward in order to leave the row of seats and walk towards the two teams. The eye-contact broke, but the blonde didn’t mind; he didn’t want to have a wordless conversation from several feet away when he could have a proper conversation up close.

As the three of them hurried to the exit, Kei saw Tobio shake hands with Shouyou before enveloping the orange-haired male in a bone-crushing hug, tears running down their faces. He was happy for the two of them; they had finally had their big showdown, and while the best team had won, it had truly been a victory for both individuals.

Now it was time for his and Tobio’s own happy ending. He just hoped they hadn’t bypassed it already.

* * *

 

Since he was standing with his eyes on the floor as they waited for the teams to disperse, he did not brace for the impact of a full-fledged human jumping on him and Tadashi.

“Kei! Tadashi! Tobio told me you guys came to watch, so I decided to greet you two.”

Kei’s eye twitched in mild annoyance as Shouyou rambled loudly and swiftly, not making much sense. At least, it didn’t make sense to him because calm blue eyes were studying him from a few feet away. When it was obvious that neither was going to make the first move, Tadashi decided to make it for them.

“Ah, Shouyou, let’s give the lovebirds some time alone, alright? How about we go find Kenma-san?”

“Yeah!”

And he tactfully steered the overexcited middle blocker away from the scene, motioning at his best friend to ‘go talk it out’.

Before Kei could get a single word out, however, Tobio marched forward and threw his arms around the blonde’s waist, burying his face in Kei’s neck as he murmured, over and over again, “I’m so sorry.”

Kei was taken aback, but he did not pull away from the hug. Instead, he said, voice trembling slightly, “I’m the one who should be sorry, Tobio, so why are you apologizing?”

The setter leaned away and looked up with a remorseful expression. “I’m sorry because I can’t break up with you, no matter how hard I try to accept that reality.”

“Good”, Kei responded, a small smile on his face. “Because I can’t either. Let’s never do that again.”

“What?”

Kei cleared his throat and looked away. “When I was watching you play earlier, I realized something important. You see, I want to do this; I want to be there for every step with you, even if it has to be a long-distance thing. I want to help you pack for tournaments, and I want to be able to watch the match and feel the pride that I felt today. Whether you’re a national level player or a part-time coach for kids whenever you can get away from whatever day job you have, I want to watch you love what you do, even if it is over video chat or on the television because you're in a different prefecture. And I want to be the one you come back to, always, because life would be meaningless if I didn't live it with you."

Tobio let out a choked laugh, wiped his eyes hastily, and leaned against his boyfriend with his forehead on Kei’s shoulder, and the latter knew that no more needed to be said on the subject. Then Tobio spoke:

“Always so articulate, aren’t you?”

Kei smirked, but there was no bite in his words when he replied.

“Oh, what's this? I didn’t realize you knew such fancy words.”

Kei could feel a smile against his neck.

“There’s no way I can’t know them since I’m apparently going to spend my life with a dork.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is ‘nerd’, Your Highness.”

“Oh, shut up, you.”

In a few minutes, they both knew someone from his team would come to get Tobio for the awards ceremony. Eventually, he would be approached by scouts as well. And even later, they would have to work out the logistics of their post-graduation lives.

But, for a few moments, tranquility was truly theirs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, as it turns out, Kei wasn't the only one suffering in the prospects of a separation. So, yay, they aren't going to break up! Happiness everywhere :)
> 
> Oh, did you guys see one of the lines in this chapter and think "hey, I've read this one before"? That's because you have. Take a guess and tell me which line I put in from "Unlikely Outcomes Of Unlikely Circumstances". (Hint: it's from the first chapter of that fic!)
> 
> BUT BUT BUT, before you go:
> 
> This is not the end. There is some more left! What do you think it's going to be? Let me know!
> 
> Stay tuned for the next chapter ^_^


	9. Fairytale Endings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kei wonders if he's dreaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm a day late and I'm sorry!
> 
> But, here you go! ^_^

_“Kageyama-kun, we’re impressed.”_

_“Ah, thank you very much, sir.”_

_“We knew at the qualifier finals itself that you were special, but you exceeded all expectations we had come here with today.”_

_“Thank you.”_

_“The spot is yours if you want it.”_

_“Yes, of course, I do!”_

_“Hahaha, that’s what we hoped. Someone will be in touch with you regarding the contract and other details over the next few weeks. We’ll see you at the training center soon, Kageyama-kun. Welcome to the men’s national volleyball team.”_

* * *

 

Kei had never believed in fairytale endings.

Sure, he believed happiness could exist, and on the occasion, events could align and result in delightful consequences. But all his life, he had strongly believed that no matter how good things turned out to be, there would always be something, perhaps insignificant but still noticeable, lost in the process. He liked this pragmatic perspective: it made him focus on realities in front of him instead of abstract fantasies in his head, and this resulted in praiseworthy decision-making.

The occurrences of the past few days of his life were seriously challenging this longstanding opinion, however.

 _This feels unreal but it’s not_ , he thought, as he reread the email he had received earlier. Then, confirming it was real, he stood up and carried his laptop to the dining table with him. There, he placed it on top of the textbook his boyfriend was reading (in order to make up for all the classes he had missed for the tournament) and waited for the inevitable reaction.

Tobio’s eyes widened comically with every line he read, and when he came across the word ‘Tokyo’, he disregarded the rest of the text and stood up from his chair to pull Kei in for a surprise kiss. Although initially taken aback, the blonde recovered quickly enough and enthusiastically responded to it.

When they broke apart, Tobio looked up at him with eyes full of longing and open affection, and said, “So now you have no excuse to not be by my side forever.”

Kei grinned. “I don’t.”

“You got the dream job.”

“I did.”

Just then, Tadashi opened the door of the apartment and stepped in. Seeing the other two locked in an embrace, he quipped, “What did I miss? I want to be in on this group hug too!” He raised his arms as if to hug them.

Tobio laughed in amusement, rich and loud. “Kei got an offer from that big firm in Tokyo. The one he thought would never accept him. The one even more prestigious than that firm in Osaka he was going to go to.”

The bag of groceries in Tadashi’s hand fell to the floor and he ran over to the couple, skidding slightly on the smooth floor, enveloping them in a hug. He whispered, “I’m so happy for you two.” Then, pulling back slightly, he flicked his best friend’s forehead and said, “See, this is what I mean when I say you sell yourself too short. I knew you would get the job when even you didn’t. The only one who doesn’t recognize your true value is you, Kei.”

Tobio nodded in agreement. “He doesn’t think he’s good enough for anything or anyone. No wonder he does things like trying to break up with certain people.”

Kei retorted, “Hey, to be fair, you were the one to agree to that suggestion, so you don’t get to talk.”

Laughter filled the apartment like the sunshine streaming in through the window, warm and bright.

* * *

 

“I’m so proud of you, Kei, and Hinata, Tobio! And I’m so excited to see you both play together once more!”

Tobio grinned widely. After the scouts had delivered their verdict, he had found out that Shouyou had gotten scouted as well, and the two of them had shared yet another emotional moment that they mutually agreed to never bring up again (“These are NOT tears, dumbass!” “Neither are these, Kageyama! This is sweat, see?”).

“Thanks, Hitoka.”

From behind Tobio, Kei raised a hand in acknowledgment as he pored over his notes. Even though he had a job offer, he still had to pass his bar examination first, which was going to be in about a week.

“This is really great, though. I’m moving to Tokyo, and so is Hinata. The five of us are going to be in the same city again after so long! We should all live close to one another.”

Tobio considered that for a moment. “But isn’t your office really far from our training center? Shouyou, Kozume-san, Kei, and I would probably live close to that. Your design firm is closer to university, where Tadashi will be. It wouldn’t make sense if you two lived so far away from your workplaces.”

Hitoka frowned. “Oh well, we should still hang out every weekend, or every other weekend.”

The setter nodded solemnly before saying, “We will. I promise.”

At that, Kei spoke up.

“Oi, King, don’t start giving your word as if you’re actual royalty or something now.”

“Huh?!”

Tadashi, who was listening to this exchange, smiled at his girlfriend through the camera. They both shared the same thought: _it was going to be fine because they were all going to be together_.

* * *

 

Later, as Kei and Tobio lay in their bed, the blonde asked, “So, what now? For us, I mean.”

Tobio, half asleep, remarked, “I could meet your family and you could meet mine.”

He rejoiced internally when his boyfriend first spluttered at that, then realizing it was only a joke, poked Tobio on his side.

Tobio chuckled lightly as he drifted off.

Kei wasn't sure whether to be surprised or not when he realized, _I would actually be open to doing that._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, all's well that ends well, right?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this conclusion!
> 
> There will be an epilogue out soon (hopefully tomorrow or day after), so stay tuned for that! ^_^


	10. Epilogue: Happy Ever After, If Only For Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue.
> 
> (That's it; that's the summary.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The epilogue, everyone! ^_^
> 
> Thank you for coming so far. Enjoy :)

_Two years later_

 

“We’re going to need a lot of curtains.”

Tobio nodded, agreeing with Kei, who added, “But I have to say: Hitoka has done a fabulous job with this place.”

“She has”, the setter murmured, looking around in wonder.

They were standing in the living room of their new house, which was on the outskirts of Tokyo, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. They knew that the new silence would take some getting used to, but the place was theirs, and it had been remodeled to fit their needs and to include their preferred luxuries, which was definitely something they could give up air and sound pollution for.

When Kei and Tobio had bought the house from its previous owner, Hitoka had insisted on taking care of the renovations they had in mind. They had quickly accepted her offer and, after mentioning the specifications they wanted, had left the rest of the details entirely up to her judgment. Presently, as they walked around the place, they felt glad about the decision they had made, because Hitoka had more than exceeded their expectations without overstepping the budget.

Most of the walls of the house were painted white, but a few were blue (like the color of Tobio’s eyes, as Kei had requested) and some were pale yellow (Tobio’s request, which he made when he heard the one his boyfriend had made). Hitoka had modified some of the windows and made them French windows, which increased the brightness of each room without the use of artificial lighting. She had also instructed the construction team to break down two walls of the kitchen and had them replaced by an L-shaped bar table. The basement had been converted into a gym, and half of the sprawling backyard had been turned into a proper outdoor volleyball court.

Although they had only just fully moved in that morning, and some boxes were still intact, there were already signs of habitation around their house. Two empty coffee mugs sat in the sink, yet to be washed. A single volleyball was lying in the middle of the court, forgotten by its owners. The television was on, turned to the news channel. A newspaper lay on the coffee table, the sports page open with the headline ‘As Oikawa Announces His Retirement, Kageyama Becomes Starting Setter’.

Kei, who was leaning against the arm of their couch, glanced at his boyfriend out of the corner of his eye, a plan forming in his head. Then, without any warning, he reached out and tenderly cupped Tobio’s face with his hand, thumb brushing against his cheek.

“I’m glad.”

Tobio leaned into the hand, more than one question in his eyes. “Glad about?”

“About us taking this step together.”

Tobio blushed. Hesitating for a moment, he responded, “You can’t just say stuff like that.”

Kei’s nose brushed against the other’s as he moved closer and whispered, trying to sound as innocent as he could, “Can’t say stuff like what?”

Tobio’s blue eyes turned stormy and he strode forward, causing Kei to walk backward until the back of his knees hit the couch. Then, without verbally responding to the blonde, he shoved his boyfriend roughly, impatient, who fell back onto the couch.

Kei smirked.

“Is our first time in our home really going to be in the living room, Tobio?”

The setter sighed as he pondered over the query, raking a hand through his hair. The disheveled sight of his boyfriend caused the blonde to make a decision on his behalf. He stood up quickly, grabbed Tobio’s hand and dragged him in the direction of their bedroom, only to be stopped in the process by a tugging on his hand.

“We can’t. The others are coming over for dinner and we don’t have anything ready.”

Kei groaned in frustration. He had forgotten that they were going to have company very soon when he had initiated things earlier. He exhaled sharply.

“Alright. Let’s cook then. But”, Kei lifted his boyfriend’s chin using his index finger. “We’re going to continue where we left off later.”

Tobio audibly swallowed, his pupils blown wide at Kei’s forwardness (a rare occurrence).

* * *

 

Dinner was a merry affair. Tadashi, Hitoka, Shouyou, and Kenma had come over. Many things were celebrated: the new house, Tadashi’s completion of his residency, Shouyou and Kenma’s engagement, Tadashi and Hitoka’s engagement, the publishing of Kenma’s latest research, and Tobio’s new position on the team as the starting setter.

(The two engagements, however, caused many eyes to glance at Kei and Tobio momentarily as if hinting at something. Kei tried to ignore the stares the best he could, while Tobio’s ears turned pink.)

As Shouyou recalled another story about Tobio’s embarrassing screw-ups during practice and caused laughter to erupt around the table (along with one indignant shout of “Shouyou, dumbass!”), Kei wondered, _could anything top the perfection of this moment?_

He got his answer a moment later when Tobio gently laced their fingers together under the dining table.

_Yes._

They had come a long way, and there had been many ups and downs during the journey, but Kei was happy that he and Tobio had gotten to this point together, regardless of what lay ahead.

And even as I, the narrator, now bid farewell to their story, know that this isn’t the end, because their destination is yet to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap!
> 
> To all of you who read this, thank you so much, and I hope you enjoyed this fic!
> 
> To those who followed the updates meticulously, I hope that the ending was worth it :)
> 
> If I left some questions unanswered in the epilogue or the story, you can totally ask me about that in the comments and I will be happy to clear up any queries!
> 
> Thank you all for your support ^_^

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. All kudos and comments are highly appreciated! ^_^


End file.
